Tack-feeding mechanism



A. FERRI. TACK FEEDING MECHNISM.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.2a, 19m.

L L mme@ June 1,. ma.,

' las' l UNITE@ STATES PATENT FFHCE.

ANGEIIO FERRI, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO REECE SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

TACK-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Patented J une 1, 1920.

Original application led May 10, 1918, Serial No. 233,685. Patent No. 1,290,651, dated January 7, 1919. Divided and this application led September 28, 191,8. Serial No. 256,122.

- the accompanying drawing.

This invention is a novel tack feeding mechanism, it being understood that in specifying tacks, other anged or headed fastenings such as nails, might be dealt with. More particularly the invention has to do with the one-by-one separation and feeding of the tacks coming in a procession from a suitable reservoir along a chute in such manner that successive tacks in the chute may be brought properly to position to be driven into the work. This applica tion is a division of my application Serial No. 233,685, filed May 10, 1918, which has matured inv Patent No. 1,290,651 granted J an. 7, 1919, for a lasting machine for shoes, the tack feeding mechanism having been shown in said application for supplying tacks to be driven for the purpose of temporarily securing about the wooden last of the shoe the pulled and inturiied margins of the shoe upper. It will be understood, however, that the present invention is useful in many other types of machinesused in connection with shoes or other articles.V

The main object of the present invention is to afford a tack feeding mechanism which will be practically unfailing in its operation, and not liable to involve the clogging of the operation by the tipping, twisting or other irregular movement of the tacks. Anotherl object of the present invention is to miniinizeythe amount of travel or movement of each tack as it passes from the chute to the driving position. I believe it to be new with the present invention to locate the vertical passage by which the separated tack descends directly beneath the point of separation of the first tack, or at the head of the tack procession. An object hereof is to afford a construction enabling this feature, thereby rendering the feed action more direct and uniform than otherwise. This principle of construction accomplishes the objetts mentioned, and further obJects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

To the attainment of such objects and advantages the present invention consists in the novel tack feeding mechanism, and the novel features of combination, design, arrangement, Vconstruction and detail herein shown or described.

In the accompanying drawings showing one form or embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 is a top plan view showing my invention applied to a lasting Inachine, as in said prior application.

Fig. 2 is a left elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. a is a partial plan view of the operating parts in position before operation.

Fig. 5 is a similar view after the confiner blade has engaged thel second tack and the supporter has begun to retract.

Fig. 6 is a similar view after the supporter hask fully retracted to drop the foremost tac Fig. 7 is a central section of the parts seen in Figs. 4f to 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective showing the members detached and one part broken away.

The present invention involves one or more of the following features. A retractable tack supporter or retainer is located directly at the exit of the feed chute, and is constructed, preferably by a slight recess, so as to receive from the chute the foremost tack. This recess is initially located directly over the downward passage whichv conducts the tack to position in the holder below. In connection with these parts is a confiner, separator or gate adapted to enter laterally behind the first tack, or otherwise to effectually hold back the second tack. As soon as this confining has been effected, the retractable supporter may be moved away from the chute exit, permitting the first tack to drop therefrom directly to position. These operations follow automatically in the sequence stated, and in my' preferred emb'odiment the device which moves the confiner blade into position operates also to thrust the supporter away from the chute after the foremost tack has been segregated.

In the accompanying drawings is shown a `part of the frame 12 of a lasting machine ioo like that in my prior application. Mounted therein to slide'forwardly and rearwardly is a slide or holder 71, which in its rearward position is adapted to receive and hold a tack fed by the mechanism of this invention and carry it forwardly to where the tack may be driven into the shoe or last. The fingers or other means by which the holder 7l receives and carries the tacks is not shown, being no part of the present invention. Above and to the right of this holder slide 71 is a reservoir 111, in which tacks are placed in bulk, Vthe reservoir having devices of a well known nature for causing the tacks to travel in an orderly procession down an inclined chute 112. Near the foot of the tack conveying chute and above the holder 71 is a fixed block 118, having a circular and preferably vertical hole or passage 114, extending downwardly through it and leading to the tack holder beneath. It will be noticed from Fig. 1 that the passage 114 is directly beneath the delivery'point of the chute 112.

Mounted to slide in the fixed block 113 is the member 115, which I have termed a confiner or gate, this being in the form of a thin blade adapted to enter the line of tacks just forward of the second tack, so as to hold back in the chute all except the first or foremost tack. The blade 115 has an inclined front edge, as shown, to facilitate its operation, and preferably the lower part of the chute 112 is somewhat undercut, so as to receive the blade 115, the chute top, along which the tack heads travel overhanging the blade at 127 and preserving the alinenient with the tack supporter to be described. In connection with these parts, I employ what I term a retractable tack supporter or retainer 116, located directly at the exit of the chute, and preferably having a slight notch or recess 129 in line with the chute passage, so that the foremost tack normally passes from the chute and is carried wholly by the supporter 116 directly above the downward passage 114.

According to this invention the operation is that, after the coniiner blade has passed into position to hold back the second tack, the retainer 116 is retracted or drawn away from the chute so as to permit the foremost tack to drop directly into the passage 114. For the purpose of permitting the retraction of the retainer 116, it may be mounted in various ways, for example, by being carried at the extremity of a spring 117, which is shown as being bent in such manner as to tend to hold the retainer in place.

The described arrangement of conner and retainer permit a very simple mode of automatic operation. Thus, the blade 115 is shown as mounted or formed on a sliding carrier 118, the same having a suitable shoulder or surface 119, adapted in the forretract the latter from the chute.

shown, having a slotted arm 120, connected to the slide 118, and a rearwardly extending arm 121, having a cam surface 122, the lever being pivoted at 123. Coperating with the cam 122 is a roller stud 124, which is mounted at the underside of a block 88, which is` one of the moving parts of the lasting machine, taking part in the operation of the pincers. This block reciprocates forwardly and backwardly,- and, as will be clear on Fig. 1, when the block and stud 124 move forwardly, this will permit the lever 120--121 to swing under the influence of a pusher 125, operated by a spring 126, vthereby thrusting the slide 118 forwardly, this action serving iirst to thrust the confiner blade 115 in place ahead of the second tack, and subsequently to retract the retainer 116, so as yto release and drop the foremost tack directly through the vertical hole 114 to the tack holding slide 71.

It will be observed that thel block 113 is formed with a groove or kerf, by which is constituted an overhanging portion or ledge 128, beneath which and in the groove plays the notched supporter or retainer 11G. The overhang. 128 is broken away for illustration in Fig. 8, but in the other figures will be seen to have a circular hole directly above or in line with the'hole 114, which carries each tack down to the positioning holder 71. The notch 129 in the supporting member-116 is adapted to receive the shank of the foremost tack, but will not permit the head of the tack to descend. The hole in the overhang 129, however, is sufficient to receive the head of the tack.

The operation will be understood from the successive views, Figs. 4, 5 and 6. In Fig. 4 the foremost tack has passed to the delivery point just beyond the chute with )its head in the hole 114 in the overhang 128,V and its shank extending downwardly through the notch 129 of the supporter 116V into the hole 114, as shown also in crosssection in Fig. 7. Fig. 5 shows the partial operation of the mechanism constituting this invention. The confiner blade 115 has advanced sufliciently beneath the overhang 127 of the chute exit to enter between the first and second tacks, and thereby to hold back the latter and all succeeding tacks. This advance has been effected by the described advance movement of the shank 118.

This shank also carries the shoulder 119, which strikes with a cam action on spring 117, carrying the supporter 116, so as to Fig. 5

so far that the tack held in the vertical hole 114; passes clear out of the notch 129, becoming disengaged by the supporter, so that it is no longer retained, and is about to drop through the vertical hole to the tack holder device 71 beneath.

It will thus be seen that I have described a tack feeding mechanism embodying the principles and constructed and operating according to the present invention. Many matters of design, arrangement, combination and detail may bevariously modified without departing from the underlying principles, and I therefore do not restrict myself to such matters, except in so far as specified in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a tack positioning member, a tack feeding chute, a recessed tack supporter yieldingly mounted to normally maintain its position at the chute exit, a combined separator and conner adapted to enter laterally between the supporter and the chute to separate the rst and second tacks and hold back the latter, and a single operating means arranged to thrust the confiner between the first and second tacks and then to withdraw the supporter while the coniner holds back the second tack, so as to release and drop the first tack into the positioning member.

2. In combination, a tack positioning member, a tack feeding chute, a recessed tack supporter yieldingly mounted at the chute exit, a confiner adapted to enter between the supporter and the chute to separate the first and second tacks and hold back the latter, and a single operating means are ranged to thrust the confiner between the first and second tacks and then to withdraw the supporter while the conner holds back the second tack, so as to release and drop the first tack into the positioning member, the same comprising a cam or wedge device actuated by the forward motion of the confiner to retract the supporter.

3. A tack feeding mechanism comprising a chute for supporting and guiding a procession of headed tacks, a movable tack supporter at the chute exit adapted to receive and support the foremost tack in the procession by its overhanging head, a part overlying said supporter adapted to dislodge the tack from the supporter by reason of the withdrawing movement of the latter from the chute exit, a tack coniner adapted to engage and hold back the second tack, andan operating means timed to Withdraw the supporter and drop the fore* most tack While the conner holds back the second tack.

4. A tack feeding mechanism comprising a chute for supporting and guiding a procession of headed tacks, a movable tack supporter, a spring carrying said supporter by which it is yieldingly held at the chute exit and adapted to receive and support the foremost tack in the procession, a tack coniiner adapted to engage and hold back the second tack, and an operating means .timed to deflect said carrying spring and Withdraw the supporter from the chute and drop the foremost tack While the advancing confiner holds back the second tack;

5. A tack feeding mechanism comprising a chute for supporting and guiding a procession of headed tacks, a movable tack supporter at the chute eXit having a notch adapted to receive and support the foremost tack in the procession, a tack confiner adapted to engage and hold back the second tack, a fixed member adapted to force the tack from the notch when the supporter is retracted, and an operating means timed to Withdraw the supporter and drop the foremost tack while the confiner holds back the second tack.

6. A tack feeding mechanism comprising a chute for supporting and guiding a procession of headed tacks, a movable tack supporter consisting of a flat plate normally at the chute exit and having a notch Vadapted to receive the foremost tack in the procession, a fixed plate above said supporter positioned to thrust the tack from the notch when the supporter is Withdrawn, a tack confiner adapted to engage and hold back the second tack, and an operating means timed to withdraw the supporter and thus drop the foremost tack While the confiner holds back the second tack.

7. A tack feeding mechanism comprising a chute for supporting and guiding a procession of headed tacks, a retractable tack supporter normally held yieldingly at the chute exit and adapted to receive and support the foremost tack in the procession, the same comprising a notched thin plate adjacent to the lower end of the chute top, means to thrust the tack from the notch when the supporter retracts, consisting of a fixed member overlying the supporter, a tack confiner adapted to engage and hold back'the second tack, and an operating means timed first to actuate the confiner to hold back the second and succeeding tacks and then to withdraw the supporter and thus drop the foremost tack.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature hereto.

ANGELO FERRI. 

